United Meetings makes travel planning fast and simple for meetings, incentives, and conferences. Travelers can experience United’s award-winning service at a discounted fare. The United Meetings program is designed for 10 or more people traveling to the event from various originating cities.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/weekly-deals-highlights-march-14-2018/feed/0http://planyourmeetings.com/weekly-deals-highlights-march-14-2018/How to make your in-house event team more valuable to your clientshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/mPtIlE0WcyU/
http://planyourmeetings.com/from-order-takers-to-trusted-advisors/#commentsTue, 13 Mar 2018 12:38:28 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=57133From order takers to trusted advisors: How to make your in-house event team more valuable to your clients.

]]>You lead an in-house team of meeting planners and you’ve just been given staggering news: Your company’s CFO has announced they are spinning off the event department in 90 days.

In three months, your event team will be a separate business and will no longer be guaranteed to get the company’s event work, which will now be put out to bid. Your group will have to compete with other event agencies if it wants the business. You will, however, be free to pursue event work from other companies, but you’ll have to compete for that as well.

You’re faced with a potentially frightening thought: Would your in-house clients hire you and/or your team if they didn’t have to?

This scenario forms the basis of an exercise I run when working with in-house event and meeting teams to help make them more innovative and entrepreneurial. And let me tell you, it’s a real eye-opener, because it forces people to take a hard look at the value they currently provide, which is often not nearly as great as it needs to be to protect their jobs.

1. Becoming indispensable to your clients and company

Your ultimate goal is for your team to provide so much strategic value to your clients that they can’t imagine running their business units without your help. That if the company decided to actually disband or significantly cut back your department, those clients would rise up in revolt in your defense.

Picture a product or service you can’t imagine living without—Spotify, Netflix, Wi-Fi, your weekly yoga or spin class, etc. Now think of how crazy you’d go if that were to be taken away from you. That’s the level of value you want to be providing.

To do this, you need to transform client perceptions of your team, from logistics managers to business event strategists.

2. From order takers to trusted advisors

To be a trusted advisor to your client, you first have to figure out what it is they find the most valuable when it comes to events and event services.

And here’s where the big disconnect often comes: The things planners often think of as important, are simply not that important to clients. This is why so many planners lament that their clients “don’t appreciate what we do.” There are things the clients care about; most planners simply aren’t doing them.

Planners focus on making sure the meeting gets properly planned and executed, a process involving budgets, floor plans, time lines, venue contracts, etc.—these are minor details to clients. For them, the event is a means to an end, a vehicle to achieve a strategic business goal. An event can be flawlessly executed and come in under budget, but if it didn’t move the needle in advancing those business goals, the client’s not happy. What the client will find super valuable, however, is your ability to really understand what they want to accomplish, know the target audience and design an event to achieve those goals with that audience. In other words, customized strategic guidance. The event needs to be properly organized, of course, but the client doesn’t care as much whether your team does the execution, or if you outsource some or all of that to free up enough time to provide that strategic guidance.

3. The value curve for professional consultants

Think about your last visit to the doctor. A receptionist checked you in, verified your insurance and handed you some forms to fill out. A nurse took your blood pressure and other vital signs, and perhaps came back later to draw a blood sample. An outside lab analyzed that blood; a third party probably handled the billing. Your doctor didn’t do any of that. She only came in to examine you, discuss your symptoms and recommend treatment.

Do you really care that the lab work was farmed out? Of course not, as long as it was done correctly. You trust that the doctor picked a reputable lab and is analyzing the results for you. What you value most is their expertise.

This customized strategic guidance is the highest value a professional consultant, in any industry, can provide.

4. High-value services for planners

What should you be doing to provide services that your clients will find tremendously valuable? For starters, here are some basics to apply to any event.

Understand their business

Understand how the event fits into the business

Help the client articulate clear goals for the event

Determine whether the event is in fact the right vehicle to achieve those goals

Design the event in a way to insure it achieves the goals

Collaborate on ways to measure success

Debrief after the event to evaluate the results

These steps are likely what’s most important to your client, because they position you as a key player in helping them grow their business. They’re also harder to outsource, either to an internal or external resource. The challenge for many planners, however, is that this taps a different part of the brain from managing logistics, which is far more cut and dried. The fact that being a strategic advisor is not cut and dried, though, is what makes it so valuable.

5. Challenging orthodoxy: Hallmarks of a trusted advisor

Being a trusted advisor means challenging some preconceived notions.

“The customer is (NOT) always right.”

To follow that advice, you’d need to do whatever your client asked you, no matter how dumb an idea it might be, which is the basic definition of an order taker. Smart trusted advisors are willing to push back against their clients, if it means safeguarding their best interests from their whims.

Imagine if you went to an attorney for guidance on a legal matter, and told him you wanted to use a defense you saw on Law and Order the other day. An order taker would fulfill your request, even if it might lead to you losing the case. A trusted advisor would say, “Not on my watch. I won’t let you put yourself in that position.”

Whether you call it “tough love” or “telling truth to power” it means having some potentially uncomfortable conversations, but those conversations will earn you the client’s respect.

Talk the client out of an event if it’s not a smart investment.

A trusted advisor treats the client’s business and money as if it’s her own. That means if a client comes to you with an event to produce, and you don’t think it’s likely to accomplish their business goals, you need to say so.

This might involve telling the client they need to spend more money, if that’s what it will take to get the job done. Or you might point out that those goals could be more cost-effectively accomplished through a vehicle other than an event. [The client may insist, advice be damned, that they want to proceed anyway, in which case you’ve at least voiced your professional opinion.]

It may seem counterproductive to turn away an event request, but that’s the kind of advice the client needs from you, and it will carry far more weight the next time you advocate to defend the budget of a different event.

Order takers are easy to come by, which is why they tend not to provide enormous value. Trusted advisors are much harder to find, more likely to become indispensable to their clients, and hence more difficult to replace. Focus as much of your time and effort on the strategic elements that are the most valuable to your clients, and delegate or outsource the tasks that can be filled by order takers, and you will be well on your way to becoming a truly trusted advisor.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/from-order-takers-to-trusted-advisors/feed/1http://planyourmeetings.com/from-order-takers-to-trusted-advisors/B2B social media algorithm woes and changes aheadhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/VGPOJBmNehc/
http://planyourmeetings.com/b2b-social-media-algorithm-woes-and-changes-ahead/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 14:16:57 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=59048No social media platform remains static. It’s important to keep abreast of changes and adjust how you use each channel.

]]>It’s no secret. The organic distribution of social media post, especially by brands, has plummeted. It’s about to get worse.
(CC) Esther Vargas

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Publisher posts hardly receive any distribution. Since LinkedIn removed groups from the main site navigations and turned off almost all group notifications, the majority of LinkedIn Groups have become virtual ghost towns. In some groups, announcements are no longer working so it isn’t possible for group owners to contact members and let them know about great group content.

As a result, even when group owners and managers work really hard, it’s tough to get engagement going.

LinkedIn has driven support to the Home feed. Yet, status updates also have little organic reach unless other members like and comment on them.

LinkedIn has promised to improve the prominence of groups in its user interface but, in the meantime, here are some strategies to try.

Use text-only posts. Include photos and distribution of content will be limited.

Don’t include links in your opening content. All platforms want to keep members on their platform. Anything that is perceived as click bait will have limited distribution.

If you post a video, upload it using LinkedIn’s native app. The mp4 format work best. You can adjust the settings on your camera to shoot mp4s or download your YouTube videos in mp4 format and then upload them to LinkedIn (or Facebook).

Team up. Form alliances with business colleagues. Make them aware of your status updates so that they can comment on content which interests them. It is extremely important to comment during the first hour after posting.

Facebook

Facebook announced that it will be giving priority to distributing content when friends and family “like” or comment on it. Company and brand pages are going to find their reach even more constricted. So, short of annoying your relatives and friends with business content, what’s a company to do?

Pay to play. Purchase ads or pay to boost the distribution of Facebook posts.

Team up. Form alliances with business colleagues. Make them aware of what you are posting so that they can like and comment on content that interests them.

In your settings, enable “See Best Tweet First” and ask your connections to do this too.

Team up with others so that they can re-tweet or reply to content that they find to be of interest.

General advice

No social media platform remains static. It’s important to keep abreast of changes and adjust how you use each channel. One thing is certain. Never be at the mercy of any platform. Instead, as you build your network and groups, give your connections opportunities to join your e-list. E-lists have their own issues but at least you will have the opportunity to stay in touch with your network if your favorite social media channel pulls the plug or makes wholesale changes that impact your brand’s visibility.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/b2b-social-media-algorithm-woes-and-changes-ahead/feed/0http://planyourmeetings.com/b2b-social-media-algorithm-woes-and-changes-ahead/Meeting planner scholarshipshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/nY6pQd0ebbE/
http://planyourmeetings.com/meeting-planner-scholarships/#respondWed, 07 Mar 2018 18:00:33 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=57640There is an incredible supply of scholarships to be had thanks to generous donations from your planner peers, industry suppliers and professional associations.

]]>The cost of education—from college all the way to professional development throughout one’s career—can be significant. Knowing this, groups throughout the meeting and event industry have banded together for years to help ensure knowledge and advancement is a reality. The result is that there is now an incredible supply of scholarships to be had—whether you’re a college student preparing for a career in meetings and events or a veteran seeking continuing education—thanks to generous donations from your planner peers, industry suppliers and professional associations.

The following information isn’t all-encompassing, but will help you to plan the next steps in your professional development while tapping into existing funding mechanisms without draining your savings.

TheMPI Foundationdisbursed 268 scholarships in 2016 totaling $306,000. The ways in which these funds can aid your professional career are as wide and varied as the organizations and individuals who sponsor the programs. Following are some examples of available scholarships from the MPI Foundation.

The Membership Scholarship covers the cost of a Preferred MPI membership.

The Professional Development Scholarship, only available to MPI members, covers, partially or fully, the cost of any MPI Academy courses, including the Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM), the Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC), MPI’s Experiential Event Series programs and much more (see the MPI Academy’s site for all opportunities).

Conference Scholarships, only available to MPI members, cover costs to attend events such as the World Education Congress (WEC), IMEX America and IMEX in Frankfurt.

Academic Scholarships are available for students of the Rosen College at the University of Central Florida and universities in Toronto.

The PCMA Education Foundation funds 75 scholarships each year for a variety of specific career development goals to help students and experienced professionals in the industry. Following are some examples of available scholarships from the PCMA Education Foundation.

The Convening Leaders Student Scholarship covers registration, accommodations and up to $1,000 in airfare to attend this PCMA conference.

The Roy B. Evans Student Scholarship provides $7,500 in tuition assistance to up to two PCMA Student Members.

Foundation All Access Pass Professional Scholarships cover registration and accommodations for up to five industry professionals (PCMA membership is not required) to the Convening Leaders conference, access to PCMA Premium Content and the Business Event Bootcamp.

The Diversity Student Scholarship grants $2,500 in tuition assistance to one PCMA Student Member representing a group that “has been traditionally under-represented in the meetings and events industry.”

The Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) has given more than $4.5 million in scholarships since its founding in 1984. These funds are reserved for students seeking a career in the hospitality industry. Following are some examples of scholarships from NEWH.

The NEWH Women Leaders $5,000 Scholarship is given to one female hospitality management student and also includes a paid trip to attend the Boutique Design Power Players: Women Leaders in Hospitality Breakfast and Panel.

The NEWH Clifford R. Tuttle $5,000 Scholarship is given to one student in hospitality interior design and also includes a paid trip to attend HD’s Platinum Circle Awards event.

The NEWH Leadership $10,000 Scholarship debuts in 2018 (details are not yet available).

The NEWH Green Voice Design Competition $7,500 scholarship is awarded to students of hospitality interior design or architecture and also includes a paid trip to attend the HD EXPO.

The Timothy S. Y. Lam Foundation was established in 2012 as a way to honor its namesake and offer assistance to those in the hospitality industry. The foundation awards $2,000 tuition-based scholarships for students as well as exam-related scholarships to help professionals attain certifications (CMP, CPCE, CSEP).

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) awards Helen Brett Scholarshipsto students pursuing careers in exhibition management. In 2017, the scholarship was given to two recipients with each receiving $5,000 in tuition assistance. Applications for these scholarships open in March 2018.

The Patti J. Shock Scholarship, offered through a partnership between The International School of Hospitality and The Foundation of NACE (National Association for Catering and Events), grants catering as well as meeting professionals the cost of tuition and fees for the Meeting and Event Catering Certificate Program ($1,800).

United Meetings makes travel planning fast and simple for meetings, incentives, and conferences. Travelers can experience United’s award-winning service at a discounted fare. The United Meetings program is designed for 10 or more people traveling to the event from various originating cities.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/weekly-deals-highlights-march-7-2018/feed/0http://planyourmeetings.com/weekly-deals-highlights-march-7-2018/Upholding the values of your brandhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/ivGn6fbUl_I/
http://planyourmeetings.com/upholding-the-values-of-your-brand/#respondMon, 26 Feb 2018 16:10:11 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=58911Establishing your core values sets the expectation for your tribe. Your values hold no value until they become more than words. It’s up to you, as a leader, to make that happen for everyone—employees, regular customers and even yourself.

]]>Jeff fit into our company culture at Digital-Tutors perfectly. For years, he used his talents as a designer to create and maintain the standards that defined our growing brand.
(CC) GUILLAUME FLAMENT

One day, I was shocked to find that Jeff harbored a prejudice against one of his co-workers. He passed it off as harmless joking around. Except it wasn’t harmless; it flew in the face of our core value of respect. I had defined that for my tribe as: We will not tolerate the disrespect of people or property.

Jeff’s conduct violated one of our core values, so I let him go.

It can be easy to let “harmless jokes” inch into the realm of unacceptable behavior. Left unchecked, they’ll perforate your tribe’s culture, crumbling even the strongest of them.

Sometimes it’s obvious when a joke goes too far. Sometimes it’s not. Things can get blurry without clear guidelines. When you’re using your core values to measure them, it gets easier to see when that line has been crossed.

Interviewing is your cultural gateway

According to studies performed by UCLA Professor Emeritus of Psychology Albert Mehrabian, only about 7 percent of communication comes from the actual words spoken. The other 93 percent comes from body language (55 percent) and tone of voice (38 percent).

Everyone reads body language differently, so at Digital-Tutors, our first interview was always done with a male/female pair. Having two different perspectives helped us compare notes on all those subtle forms of communication that speak louder than words.

Did the candidate look at the person asking the question? Or did they only look at the male or just the female in the room?

Having a pair of interviewers also helps break up any personal bias that a single interviewer might have, creating an internal checks and balance as well. The interview process is the gateway to your tribe. Guard it carefully. To borrow the old Russian proverb: Trust but verify.

Thinking outside the walls

Not all issues occur within the company. This came to my attention when someone told me one of our account reps, Claire, was being mistreated by Henry, the VP of procurement for one of our largest enterprise customers. Immediately, I had a chat with Claire to find out what was happening.

She knew Henry’s company accounted for a significant portion of our revenue. Henry knew it, too. The result was Claire suffering in silence for the benefit of the company’s bottom line.

As a customer, Henry didn’t know about our core value of respect. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t have cared. But Claire did. Asking Claire to follow our core values but tolerate daily interactions with someone who blatantly disregarded them wasn’t protecting the culture. That’s essentially holding Claire to a high standard while simultaneously sending the message that you’re not always going to be treated with those same standards.

My role as the owner was to build and protect our company’s culture. That means setting the expectations for how my tribe will be treated at work each day and then ensuring those expectations are upheld by everyone my tribe encounters on a regular basis—no matter what company’s name is on the paycheck.

The next time Henry called to speak to Claire, I spoke to him instead. Within a few minutes, I had fired Henry’s company as a customer.

At the time, I didn’t have a plan for how I was going to replace Jeff. There wasn’t a procedure in place for recouping the income loss after firing Henry’s company. As a leader, your actions speak louder than words. Jeff and Henry’s scenarios were a chance for me to show everyone in the company that our values were more than just words.

Establishing your core values sets the expectation for your tribe. Your values hold no value until they become more than words. It’s up to you, as a leader, to make that happen for everyone—employees, regular customers and even yourself.

]]>Over the years, from various sources I have collected questions that many meeting professionals would welcome hearing from speakers, either those whom they have booked or with whom they are considering booking.
(CC) Michael Newman

While meeting professionals certainly could develop these FAQs in advance, in can be much more comforting to encounter speakers who have the wherewithal to ask.

Here are questions that I would like speakers to ask planners. (And if the speakers aren’t asking you these questions, you’d do well to broach these topics.)

Explain the goals and objectives of your meeting or conference. Do these goals and objectives support your organization’s mission?

Can you describe the audience. Age range? Newbies? Veterans? Spouses or guests? Distance traveled? What is the percentage of men versus women?

What else occurs at this meeting? What takes place right before and after my program? How has the audience reacted previously?

How much time should my part of the program take?

Are there networking opportunities for audience members?

Is your audience responsive to interactive sessions? Can you cite previous examples of such interactive sessions?

Are there any words or issues to avoid?

What are the key measurements of success for this program? Do you employ ROI measures overall and individually per session?

]]>Now that the festive season is over, event and meeting planners have shifted their focus to creating exciting events for 2018. Careful attention to the culinary aspects of events is a sure-fire strategy for kicking things up a notch.

Fortunately, the National Restaurant Association and Trend Hunter have released their annual trend reports so there are many ideas to inspire event planners.

National Restaurant Association emphasizes ethnic cuisine

The National Restaurant Association surveyed 700 professional chefs who are members of the American Culinary Federation. This year, three of the 10 food trends highlighted ethnic influences.

Traditional ethnic-inspired breakfast dishes

Authentic ethnic cuisine

Ethnic spices

This will please participants who are drawn from increasingly diverse backgrounds.

After you have introduced participants to ethnic inspired dishes through appetizers, amuse-bouches and dinner entrees, try some breakfast dishes. Whether its French crepes, Mexican burritos or Jamaican ackee and salt fish, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Other trends that were uncovered by the National Restaurant Association included:

Affordable new cuts of meat. That’s great news for event planners who have been given the challenge of stretching their budgets. Some cuts to consider include oyster steak, Vegas Strip and Merlot.

Home-made condiments. What a unique way to spice up your menu.

“Street” food influences. Dishes inspired by street food add a new twist to culinary fare. Many of them have ethnic influences. Whether it’s dumplings, kebobs or tempura, bring it on.

Sustainable seafood. Health conscious participants who want to play a role in preserving the environment will appreciate the effort required to serve sustainable seafood. Fortunately, there are companies that specialize in delivering the catch of the day to just about any destination.

Trend Hunter adds a touch of whimsy

Trend Hunter offers a free version of its 2018 Trend Report that highlights a number of food and beverage trends. The report can also be customized to fit the needs of various event industry professionals.

This year, there are a number of trends that add a touch of whimsy and fun to culinary fare.

Avoid a flavor-of-the-month approach

While trend reports are a great source of inspiration, never fall into the flavor-of-the-month trap. It is tedious for participants to encounter the same dishes and approaches at one event after another. For example, at one point sliders, which were initially popular, were overused to the point that participants became bored with them.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/2018-culinary-trends/feed/0http://planyourmeetings.com/2018-culinary-trends/Creating memorable events focusing on the peak and endhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/eFMIVv63-Ds/
http://planyourmeetings.com/creating-memorable-events-focusing-on-the-peak-and-end/#respondMon, 05 Feb 2018 11:55:59 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=58451Tips for creating memorable events by focusing on the peak and an exceptional conclusion.

Networking peak. Make sure the participants make new and deep connection with other participants. Try speed-dating or a social activity.

Fun peak. Have a funny activity like a game or hilarious speaker.

Make a fantastic ending

Make sure there is a fantastic ending, so your participants can leave fulfilled and satisfied. A well-designed ending can even save the memory of a poor meeting.

When designing a fantastic ending think of this:

Change ending. Wrap up the decisions and outcomes of the meeting and tell the participants how it will influence the future of their work and the company.

Feel-good ending. Make a funny, happy, energizing and engaging ending that makes the participants leave in a good mood. A glass of champagne, nice music, goodie bags and warm handshakes helps.

Learning ending. Make the participants wrap up, what they have learned and how they can apply it when they get home. Give them something that can help them recall key learnings, A postcard, a video or an illustration to hang on the wall.

Networking ending. Let the participants do something together, sing a song, make an energizer or give high fives.

]]>http://planyourmeetings.com/creating-memorable-events-focusing-on-the-peak-and-end/feed/0http://planyourmeetings.com/creating-memorable-events-focusing-on-the-peak-and-end/Sleep, rejuvenate and travel safelyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/planyourmeetings/~3/XLjylSSrrOA/
http://planyourmeetings.com/sleep-rejuvenate-and-travel-safely/#respondFri, 02 Feb 2018 09:23:06 +0000http://planyourmeetings.com/?p=58341Many busy meeting professionals may work more in exchange for less sleep, but doing so is dangerous gamble.

]]>“Mirror, mirror on the wall, why do some otherwise high-achieving meeting professionals feel that they can miss sleep without penalty? Or, if they acknowledge the penalties, why do they nevertheless proceed?”

When several high achievers were asked this, the response that occurred most frequently went something like this: “By working longer or harder now and perhaps getting less sleep, the potential payoffs can be greater.”

In other words, some professionals knowingly sleep less as part of a calculated plot to become prosperous younger or sooner. Paradoxically, the most successful people I know tend to have regular, sufficient sleep patterns. Whether they retire early or late, they get ample sleep daily and weekly to keep themselves vibrant and moving forward.

Now and then, you read about some ultra-high achiever who only sleeps an average of four or five hours a night. As such, you have to remember that:

Most articles about people contain considerable fabrication.

Even if it’s true that these people can sleep four or five hours per night on average, that does not necessarily apply to you.

Unless a longitudinal study of their sleep patterns is undertaken, no one knows the long-term effects. Maybe this person will develop some acute disorder. Who can say?

Your need for sleep differs from others. There is no value in comparing yourself to those who sleep more or less than you.

Your quest is to get the amount of sleep you need to feel and be at your best.

Driving and dozing

You’re a danger to yourself when you try to function with consistently too little sleep. You’re a danger to society when you operate a vehicle with too little sleep. There are simply too many transportation mishaps today that are a direct result of someone being tired at the wheel. Dr. Martin Moore-Ede, in his now-hard-to-find book, The 24-Hour Society, points to numerous transportation mishaps that can be traced directly back to insufficient sleep.

What’s worse, Moore-Ede found that vast numbers of people in society engage in micro-sleep, which is a form of trying to compensate for under-sleeping. Micro-sleep is a five-to-10-second episode where your brain is effectively asleep while you are otherwise up and about.

As hard as it is to fathom, parents transporting their children might engage in micro-sleep. School bus drivers with forty children in tow may be engaging in micro-sleep. Train conductors responsible for hundreds of passengers and millions of dollars of equipment engage in micro-sleep. Truck drivers traversing hundreds of miles carrying hazardous waste materials engage in micro-sleep.

Some people mistakenly believe that the act of driving is sleep inducing, but studies show that is an erroneous belief. Dr. Allen Pack, director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania, says, “You’re sleepy to begin with and the task unmasks the tendency to sleepiness.” So, if you’re in a nice big car with cruise control on an open road, you might think that’s conducive to sleep. However, if you weren’t sleepy to begin with, you wouldn’t nod off.

Generally speaking, the two major factors contributing to drowsiness include the following.

How long you’ve been awake. – If you got up at 5 a.m., then by 7 p.m., your 14th hour of wakefulness, you could be a candidate for drowsy sleep. Also, if you consistently get too little sleep, and have been driving a long time during a day, you’re more susceptible to nodding off at the wheel.

Driving at night. – More than half of the crashes on the part of drowsy drivers occurred between midnight and 7:00 a.m. Thus, independent of how long you’ve been awake, driving during the wee hours is inherently treacherous.

Add in chronic under-sleeping on a consistent basis, and you have a recipe for disaster.

The numbers could be far worse

The incidence of drowsy driver crashes, whether attributable to the factors discussed above or not, could be highly understated. Since many drowsy-driver crashes only involve the driver, most go unreported. Or, in the case of fatal accidents, many accidents are misdiagnosed. Legions of over-stressed, highly fatigued people could by dying at the wheel.

While auto manufacturers hunt for driver warning systems that will reduce the number of such accidents, and even if your car is so equipped or equipped in the future, it’s no excuse for you to ever get behind the wheel if you even suspect your level of fatigue will impair your driving ability.

If you need to get around and about, and can’t do much about completely overcoming your fatigue right now, then please consider the following:

Use public transportation as often as possible.

Become part of a ride-share system, and at least be well rested when it’s your turn to drive.

Avoid taking any long trips, where the probability of a mishap increases markedly.

For short trips, consider a taxi, bike or walking.

Your life and the life of others is important. Planning meetings is challenging. Don’t let your fatigue put you in a situation where you are a danger to yourself and others.